4:30
by MeridaFaeScott
Summary: It was just a regular Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. sharp. The loud pounding on the front door signaled Caitlyn's arrival, which -of course- promised an eventful afternoon...


**Here's something I cooked up yesterday and today for Poetontherun's birthday! Happy 18****th**** birthday, Sarah Beth! I hope it was a great and memorable one! Hope you like this. :) I decided you deserve it even if my birthday oneshot never showed up. ;) That's how special you are! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from Camp Rock.**

Pounding on the door could be heard in the Gray household the instant the clock ticked 4:30 that Wednesday. The members of the band, Connect 3, had invited their friend-the all-too-crazy-but-awesome-Caitlyn Gellar-over to play video games, watch movies, and eat.

And Caitlyn Gellar was never one to be late-especially to something that had her nearly bouncing off the walls with excitement for. All day. She always beat them at video games (well, often) and her and Shane tended to be extremely loud and critical (in a hilarious way) during movies. And who _doesn't_ like _eating_?

Finally, after Mrs. Gray yelling through the house for someone to save the "poor, impatient, stranded outside Caitlyn" (yes, there was amused sarcasm in her tone), Shane threw the door open with a grin.

"Just in time to see Nate lose to Jason!" he announced excitedly.

"WHAT? Nate-JASON?" Caitlyn didn't bother to keep her tone down, "Since when is that possible?"

"I don't know but you better come and see for yourself!" Shane stated vigorously, before turning and darting up the stairs with Caitlyn right behind him. The pair nearly crashed into the room, and Caitlyn had to catch herself before she fell into Shane at his abrupt halt in the room.

"You're kidding." Shane stated flatly.

"What? What happened? Who won?" Caitlyn asked, shoving Shane aside and stepping in front of him, eyes roaming the room and taking in Jason and Nate with their controllers settled on the ground, the game over.

"Aw, _man_," Shane whined like a child, stomping over to flop in the bed as his brothers grinned at him and Caitlyn, "Once-just once, I want to see you get your butt kicked." He stated, glaring at Nate who was smirking.

"Well, if that does happen-and it won't-it'll only be that one time, so you better hope you're present for that game." Nate stated, winking at Caitlyn as she took a seat on the floor, leaning against the bed.

"I was so close!" Jason shouted randomly, slapping his hands over his face and making everyone in the room laugh. Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but patted the eldest brother on the shoulder before hopping up and making her way toward the "Leaning Tower of DVDs". She had named the three huge piles that when she had first seen the collection (that was way back when there was only one "tower") and the boys had explained that Shane refused to buy any sort of rack for them.

"What should we watch?" Caitlyn spoke up, interrupting Jason's dramatic moaning that had begun, "Let's see, what genre? Horror, actions, comedy?"

"Romance?" Nate piped up, mocking her voice.

"Shut up, Nate, I don't watch romance." She stated flatly, letting her fingers skim over the many cases that weren't organized in any way at all.

"Sure, Cait…Sure…" Shane was heard behind her agreeing sarcastically and tauntingly, "That's what they all say."

Without even thinking of what damage may take place with her actions, Caitlyn grabbed the case off the top of one of the towers and spun to toss it at Shane. She hit her mark right on, the hard plastic colliding with his hard head.

The room was filled with his yelp of pain as his hands flew to the side of his head and he laid on the bed, burying his face in the comforter, "What the heck, Gellar? Are you trying to kill me?" his muffled voice called out loudly. The other two boys only looked between Caitlyn and Shane, uncertain of whether to laugh at Shane's childish behavior or laugh at Caitlyn's childish actions.

"You could have really hurt him with that." Jason pointed out with his "older brother" frown on his face. Shane still lay with his face buried, groaning almost continuously.

"Please, Jase, he's just being a baby. He'll live-I promise." Caitlyn shrugged, flopping into the space next to Shane on the bed, resting a hand on the noisy boy's shoulder and picking up the dvd case/weapon and handing it to Nate, "Put this in? Might as well start a movie-turn it up, though, Shane's so loud we won't hear a thing."

"Shut up." His snap came muffled and Nate seemed to be attempting not to crack a smile as he did as he was told, exchanging a look with Jason who seemed to have chosen to excuse the immaturity of the other two.

Twenty minutes into the movie, Caitlyn looked down to see Shane still with this face buried in the bed, not watching the movie at all. With an impatient sigh, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Get up, wimp, you're missing the movie."

"My head feels like a bomb that will explode with any movement." Shane groaned, and Caitlyn smirked to herself, amused at his dramatic words and not feeling guilty at all.

As she opened her mouth with a smart reply, her pocket vibrated, signaling an incoming text. Caitlyn slipped the small cell phone from her neon blue skinnies and read the text with a small smile. Shane was suddenly peering over her shoulder. The nosey boy.

"Who is it?" he asked curiously. Caitlyn tucked the lit screen under her other hand, looking up to shoot him a glare.

"None of your business, nosey." She stated simply, making Shane's eyebrows rise.

"That so?" he asked slowly, the moment after he was grabbing at her hands, attempting to pry the device from her fingers and firm grip. She screeched at him and instantly resisted his strength which resulted in them rolling around on the bed fighting and arguing.

"We can do anything in piece with you two around!" Nate called out, not bothering to pause the movie they'd all seen numerous times before, "Do you always have to fight?"

"He's-trying to-Stop it, Shane!" Caitlyn hissed, struggling to free herself from his pushing her away as he gripped her phone in one hand, "Give it back!"

"Who's Devon?" Shane asked, holding her cell out of her reach as he read, "And why's he texting you referring to you as beautiful?" Caitlyn finally stilled, eyes blazing with anger at the blatant invasion of her privacy.

"What're you trying to say, Gray?" she snapped coldly, feeling Jason and Nate's eyes on the two of them yet again.

"I asked you a question." He stated, meeting her angry eyes with fiery ones of his own, "Is he bothering you? Or are you encouraging this?"

"Not your business." She nearly yelled, arms folded across her chest.

"What the heck, Cait, this guy has nicknamed you 'beautiful' and I'm just supposed to be okay with that?" Shane burst out, Caitlyn looked at him in disbelief.

"And why do you even care?" Caitlyn hissed.

"I-I-Why wouldn't I?" Shane demanded.

"Whatever." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and snatched her phone back, miffed that he had stolen her phone and made such a big deal out of nothing, "You're not my dad."

"She has a point, Shane." Jason piped up, trying to play peacemaker.

"Stay out of it, Jason." Shane snapped sharply, casting a scowl at his older brother.

"You know what?" Caitlyn tried to contain her anger as she stood up and ran a hand violently through her hair, avoiding Nate's disapproving gaze. Why did his expression bother her so much? Here she was almost literally kicking and screaming at Shane, yet Nate's eyes bothered her more? "Maybe I should just go. Obviously, _some people_ can't handle staying out of my love life."

Shane snorted, "Love life? You?"

"Shut up, Shane." Nate spoke for the first time, casting a withering look at his older brother before turning his stern gaze at Caitlyn, "You aren't leaving. Sit back down."

"Try and stop me." She challenged him angrily, stalking from the room, irritation rolling off of her practically in waves. The first thing she realized was that she hadn't even been over for an hour, the second thing was the sound of someone's rushed footsteps before the feeling of someone grabbing her arm and spinning her to face him.

"Caitlyn, where are you going?" Nate asked softly-she hadn't even made it down the first stair. Her eyes searched his face, trying to come up with the right answer without using language. Did he _not _see how his brother was acting?

"Shane's being a jerk." Caitlyn stated simply, "You know I don't put up with that."

"Who's Devon?" Nate surprised her by asking instead of replying to her comment about Shane's behavior. Caitlyn narrowed her eyes for a moment.

"Not you, too." She groaned, briskly jerking her hand away from contact with his, "I don't know why it's so hard to understand that I don't have to explain everything to-"

"I'm just asking." Nate defended himself, not meeting her eyes. The expression on his face made her feel wary and worried, but she hadn't time to dwell on it as the doorbell rang. They broke their eyes away from each other after a moment of silence because of Shane darting past in a race with time to answer the door.

"CAIT!"

The sound of Shane calling her so loudly from downstairs made her jump and cast Nate a questioning look. When he shrugged, she skipped down the stairs with Nate on her heels, preparing herself for yet another argument.

"Care to explain what _he's_ doing here?" Shane asked fiercely, gesturing to whomever was at the door, blocked from her view.

"Who?" she moved to look past Shane, feeling Nate still hovering at her shoulder as Jason came thumping down the stairs.

"_Devon_ has been looking for you." Shane stated flatly, eyes piercing into Caitlyn as she attempted to keep from gaping at the boy on the Gray's doorstep. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he'd come looking for her when she told him who she was hanging out with.

"Um…Hi?" Caitlyn gave him a questioning look, shoving past Shane forcefully, "What're you doing here?" she blurted out, unable to keep from thinking what a dumb thing it was he had done.

"You said you wanted to get together." Devon stated simply, casting the three Gray brothers a bored look.

"I didn't mean tonight!" Caitlyn stated exasperated, wishing she didn't have an audience at that moment. What an awkward situation Devon had created-she felt like punching him, "I kind of have _plans._" She gestured at the boys inside the house, looking at Devon has though he was crazy (and she was beginning to think he was).

"Can't you change your 'plans'?" Devon asked simply, looking annoyed at her statement-as though it were _her_ fault this situation had arisen.

"Can't I…?" Caitlyn clenched her jaw, aggravated beyond belief now at Devon's arrogance. Had he always been this way? He'd always seemed so sweet before, "Who do you think you are? OF course I'm not going to change my plans last minute just to please you. You _arrogant_-"

Shane cut her off, whether eager to get his two cents in or seeing that Caitlyn was about to explode, she wasn't sure. "Get lost." He stated simply, stepping in front of Caitlyn with an air of authority that she had only ever seen once before.

"And you are?" Devon raised an eyebrow, twirling his keys around his fingers with a blank expression.

"Cait doesn't want to put up with you anymore, so disappear before I make you." Shane growled, and Caitlyn tossed a look at Nate. Should she be concerned? Nate smirked at Caitlyn as if something was obvious to him, but not she. When her eyes turned to Jason questioningly, he didn't look worried in the least and even gave her a wink.

"If you change your mind, Cait," Devon spoke up, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes that satisfied Shane, "Just call me up and let me know. I won't wait around forever." With that he stalked off to his car.

The four stood in silence a moment before Shane slammed the door and stalked up the stairs huffily, muttering under his breath. Jason chuckled before swiftly disappearing upstairs also, mentioning something about "going to calm Shane down".

"Man, Caity, you sure can pick 'em, huh?" Nate's smirk was plain on his face and Caitlyn felt her cheeks heat up before punching his arm.

"Don't call me Caity." She snapped.

"C'mon, you have to admit he was just a stuck up-"

"Don't you think I know that-_now_?" Caitlyn interrupted sharply, not meeting his eyes and she shoved past him. Her evening was ruined. For once, she thought someone was actually interested in her-only to turn around and realize he was a jerk. She felt like such a loser.

"Are you…okay?" Nate asked, sounding caught off guard and only a moment later, Caitlyn could sense him standing closely behind her, his fingertips grazing her right shoulder.

"Yeah, fine." She waved her hand in the air, getting more irritated with herself now that tears were threatening to fall. Swallowing thickly, she tried to force the sarcasm back into her voice, but Nate spoke before she had the chance.

"Don't lie." He whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

"I wanted someone to make me feel special." Caitlyn broke surprisingly easily, her tone weak and shaky-she hated it. Nate was the only one she would tolerate seeing her so vulnerable.

"You don't need someone like _that_ to do that." he pointed out, resting his both hands on her shoulders now, squeezing reassuringly.

"He was the only one willing. I'm not exactly the biggest catch with the guys, Nathan." She stated coolly. It felt awkward having such a conversation with him and, again, she hated it.

Against her will, Nate made her turn to face him, and Caitlyn felt herself tensing as his brown eyes searched her face, "Is that what this is about?" he murmured, "You feel like you're not attractive?"

"Thank you for putting it so bluntly." She snapped, biting her tongue and wishing he hadn't been right on the mark.

"I can assure you, Cait, that he most definitely isn't the only guy you'll meet that's willing to make you feel wanted." Nate stated simply, and Caitlyn rolled her eyes, "I'm serious."

"I don't believe you." She shrugged, "I'd expect you to say whatever is needed to make me feel better-and I appreciate it, but I don't want it to hear lies."

"Stop it." Nate demanded, frowning, "Stop talking about yourself like that."

"Then stop talking about me like _that._" she shot back, shoving him in the chest in aggravation, but Nate's hands caught her wrists and kept her from running off angrily. Maybe he knew her a little too well.

"You're just blind." Nate whispered, "To yourself and what you really are. And me."

Caitlyn couldn't help but scoff, "Blind to what I really-What?" A sudden look of confusion crossed her face before being replaced by uncertainty.

"You heard me." He sighed, eyes seeming to bore into hers.

"I heard you, but that doesn't mean I understand." She stated the obvious, "...What do you mean?"

"Are you really that uneducated about boys? I thought you'd see by now- I like you, Cait-I thought I was pretty obvious." Nate chuckled dryly, "I can't help it, though."

"What?...What?..And _what_?"

"Intelligent statement." He replied blankly.

"I mean…" Caitlyn's mind was spinning and his confession left her sarcasm-less and feeling completely out of her element.

"And then I hear about this Devon, he shows up-Shane beats me to being all protective…I feel like such a loser." Nate confessed with a sigh, not bothering to give Caitlyn any time to let everything sink in.

"You're _not_ a loser." Caitlyn hissed angrily, surprising even herself with the furiousness in which she spoke. Nate's hand cupped her cheek, making her skin tingle and her eyes widen.

"Thanks." A smile ghosted his lips and Caitlyn bit her lip and watched as Nate's lips drew closer until they were pressed lightly against her own. It took her breath away, even just his chaste kiss and she couldn't help but attempt to draw herself impossibly closer against him.

A lot had progress in the past hour, and she relished the change. It may seem strange to know, but the thought that Shane had earned himself a "thanks" and _maybe_ a hug crossed her mind during that kiss. Caitlyn Gellar's mind works in mysterious ways, for sure-but Nate's hand on her neck made all thoughts of anyone else in the _world _disappear quickly.

**Just because I wrote this for Poetontherun doesn't mean no one has to review. Review! I demand it. xD**


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